Two Japanese firms, Canon and Fujitsu have collaborated to develop new imaging solutions for the retail industry, according to the companies' websites.Two Japanese firms, Canon and Fujitsu have collaborated to develop new imaging solutions for the retail industry, according to the companies' websites.

By combining Canon's image quality enhancing technology and video content analysis technology with Fujitsu's services platforms, the companies aim to offer a variety of solutions employing network cameras that enables functions such as determining of ages and genders of pedestrians and the visualisation of foot traffic flows in a retail store.

Taking information obtained by analysing in-store video captured with network cameras, such as customer gender, age ranges and traffic flows, as well as in-store congestion conditions, and analysing it with CHANNEL Value, Fujitsu's information utilisation business platform, will support the creation of more attractive shopping environments, made possible through optimised floor space layouts and sales promotion activities tailored to the customer base.

The companies also plan to use network cameras in tourist destinations with Fujitsu's intelligent society solution, SPATIOWL, for users to obtain tourist information such as visitor numbers, traffic flows and congestion levels. This will make possible the provision of solutions aimed at invigorating municipalities and tourist facilities.